This invention pertains to methods and apparatus for routing signals and power in a device having removable components.
This invention pertains to methods and apparatus for providing routing of signals and power in a device. The methods and apparatus provide for convenient removal and replacement of various components which make up the device. The invention includes methods and apparatus for providing redundant signal and power routing between the various components.
Often, prior art equipment is comprised of various components which are supported on a common structural support such as a chassis, or frame, or the like. For example, a large prior art computer unit is often comprised of various modular sub-components. These modular sub-components, or modules, can be one of any number of different devices. For example, in a unit of electrical equipment such as a computer, or the like, these modular components can include disk drives, controllers, power supplies, or cooling fans, etc. Generally, routing paths are provided to the modules so that signals and power can be routed, or distributed, to the various modules from other devices and between the modules themselves. These routing paths can be in many forms, including electrical, fiber-optic, pneumatic, and hydraulic. For illustrative purposes, the primary form of routing discussed herein will be that of electrical routing, although it is understood that the principles set forth can be applied to any form of signal and power routing.
In prior art configurations for electronic equipment, for example, the electrical routing to the modules, which are included in the equipment, is often achieved through the use of printed circuit boards, or printed circuit assemblies, which can be referred to as xe2x80x9cplanes.xe2x80x9d These planes are typically configured as flat boards with integral electrical circuits which are configured to provide electrical routing to the modules. From the standpoint of the end-user of such electronic equipment, a highly desirable feature is the reliable operation of the equipment with minimum down-time. To this end, the modules are often configured so that each is easily removable from the unit. The easily removable nature of each of the modules facilitates the replacement of a failed or malfunctioning module which, in turn, helps to decrease the down-time of the equipment.
FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 illustrate the configuration of a typical prior art unit of electronic equipment. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a prior art unit 10. As shown in FIG. 1, a prior art unit 10 can include a front chassis 12 and a rear chassis 14. The unit 10 also includes a plane 16. As can be seen from FIG. 1, the front and rear chassis 12, 14 and the plane 16 are configured to be supported within a shroud 18. As is further revealed by FIG. 1, the plane 16 is configured to be located within the shroud 18 and between the front and rear chassis 12, 14. The shroud 18 can serve both as an enclosure and a structural support for the front and rear chassis 12, 14 and the plane 16.
FIG. 2 is another exploded view of the prior art unit 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the front chassis 12 is installed within the shroud 18. Likewise, the rear chassis 14 has been installed within the shroud, but is not visible in FIG. 2. As further shown in FIG. 2, the prior art unit 10 includes a plurality of modules 20. A portion of the modules 20 are configured to be supported in the front chassis 12 as shown in FIG. 2. The remaining modules 20 are configured to be supported in the rear chassis 14 which is not visible in FIG. 2, but which is shown in FIG. 1. As can be seen from FIG. 2, the modules are configured to be removable from the unit 10.
FIG. 3 is a side view of the prior art unit 10 with a portion of the shroud 18 cutaway to show the interior components thereof. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the plane 16 is fastened in place within the shroud 18 with fasteners 19, or other suitable fastening means. It should be evident from FIG. 3 that the plane 16 is fastened to the shroud 18 between the front and rear chassis 12, 14 which are also fastened in place within the shroud. As also shown in FIG. 3, the modules 20 are located within the shroud 18 and are supported within each of the respective front and rear chassis 12, 14. However, as shown in FIG. 3, a replacement module 21 is shown slightly out of position as it is slid into the front chassis 12.
As previously discussed, the plane 16 provides electrical routing to the various modules 20 when the modules are installed within the respective chassis 12, 14 shown in FIG. 3. In other words, the plane 16 is configured to provide predetermined electrical path, in the form of electrical circuits (not shown), for the transfer of electrical signals and electrical power to the various modules 20. As further shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of first electrical connector portions 25 are supported on the plane 16. The first electrical connector portions 25 form terminals for various legs of the electrical circuits (not shown) which are on the plane 16.
Also, as can be seen in FIG. 3, a second connector portion 26 is supported on each of the modules 20 and the replacement module 21. The first and second electrical connector portions 25, 26 are configured to electrically connect with one another so as to pass electrical signals and electrical power there between as shown in FIG. 3. It is evident that the location of the plane 16 between the front and rear chassis 12, 14 allows the plane to be connected to both the modules which are supported in the front chassis 12 and the modules which are supported in the rear chassis 14. It is also evident from FIG. 3 that the electrical connection between each of the modules 20, 21 and the plane 16 occurs when the modules are fully inserted into the respective front and rear chassis 12, 14. As is further evident from FIG. 3, the modules 20, 21 can be configured so as to be electrically connected to the plane 16 by way of the first and second electrical connector portions 25, 26. Thus, the various modules 20, 21 are configured to be electrically connected to the plane 16 in a predetermined manner by way of the first and second electrical connector portions 25, 26 and the electrical circuits (not shown) which are on the plane. Electrical connectors such as those described above are well known in the art.
Referring now to FIG. 2, the removable configuration of the individual prior art modules 20 from the shroud 18 facilitates the reduction of undesirable down-time of the prior art unit of equipment 10. That is, each of the modules 20 can be relatively easily removed and replaced should such removal and replacement become necessary due to failure or malfunction of a module. It is evident that a failure or malfunction of the plane 16 is also possible. It is equally evident that such failure or malfunction of the plane 16 is also highly undesirable because such failure or malfunction can prevent the passage of electrical signals and power to the various modules 20.
However, as can be seen by a study of FIG. 3, removal and replacement of the plane 16 can be a relatively complex and time consuming task compared to the removal and replacement of a module 20. Specifically, as is evident, the removal of the plane 16 requires the complete removal of the entire front chassis 12 and associated modules 20, 21, or in the alternative, the complete removal of the rear chassis 14 and associated modules 20. Additionally, removal of the plane 16 requires removal of the various fasteners 19 which fasten the plane to the shroud 18. Thus, failure or malfunction of the plane 16 can result in considerable down-time of the prior art unit 10 while the plane is removed and replaced.
What is needed, then, is a method and an apparatus for providing signal and power routing between various components of a unit of equipment, which methods and apparatus increase the reliability of the equipment by providing for ease of replacement of the component parts and by providing redundancy in the routing.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for removably supporting a plane and a plurality of modules comprises a support structure and an access face defined on the support structure. An access face is defined on the support structure. The modules and the plane can be placed onto, and removed from, the support structure through the access face.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for removably supporting a plurality of modules comprises a support structure and an access face defined on the support structure. The apparatus further comprises a first plane and a second plane which are removably supported on the support structure. The modules and planes can be placed onto, and removed from, the support structure through the access face in any sequence. Either of the planes can be removed from, and replaced onto, the support without effecting the signal and power routing between the modules provided by the other plane.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, the invention includes a support structure having a front portion and a rear portion. An access face is defined on each of the front and rear portions. The support structure can be configured to removably support a plurality of modules on each of the front and rear portions. Further, the support structure can be configured to removably support a first plane and a second plane on the front portion and a third plane and a fourth plane on the rear portion.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, a method includes providing signal and power routing between the various modules of a unit of equipment. The method includes providing redundant signal and power routing between the modules.